THE beat of the Butterfly sewing machine was competing with the sound of vehicles passing the UD Enam Lima in Jalan Kluda, Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo. Surono, the business owner, was finishing up a couple of leather sofa cushions in his workshop.

Sometimes the 47-year-old man stopped working to puff on his cigarette and talk to his two assistants. Around him were dozens of unused sewing machines. The thick dust has changed the color of the machines